Assange faces arrest if he leaves the building in Knightsbridge for breaching bail terms as he battles extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault made by two women.

It was not clear whether Assange’s decision to appeal to Ecuador was connected to a recent interview he conducted with the South American country’s leftist President Rafael Correa on
Russia Today, a Kremlin-sponsored English-language TV channel.

Sweden’s justice ministry said it expected Britain to extradite Assange, but authorities in London say he is beyond the reach of police while inside the Ecuadorean embassy.

Claes Borgstrom the lawyer for Assanges’ accusers said:

“Ecuador will realise that the decision is built on a European arrest warrant and been taken by the UK’s Supreme Court.”

Assange fears he will be extradited onwards from Sweden to the US where he believes he could face charges that carry the death penalty.